


Serenade Of Water

by SapphireValkyrie



Category: Dragon Quest Series, Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Minor Spoilers for Act II, Reflection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-06 18:12:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16837780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SapphireValkyrie/pseuds/SapphireValkyrie
Summary: "Time passes, people move...  Like a river's flow, it never ends...  A childish mind will turn to noble ambition...  Young love will become deep affection...  The clear water's surface reflects growth...  Now listen to the Serenade of Water to reflect upon yourself...." - Sheik, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeAfter acquiring Lorelei's harp, the Luminary takes some time to reflect.  So does his closest companion.





	Serenade Of Water

**Author's Note:**

> So, the first few times I went underwater I didn’t really read exactly who was playing Lorelei’s harp. I sort of just read ‘You played Lorelei’s harp’. It made me wonder who exactly was playing the harp. Thinking about it logically, I would say Serena since, you know, she actually has a harp already. Of course, that’s not where my mind leapt to.

Everyone was a bit subdued as they sailed through the gate at Puerto Valor. It had been like that since they left Lonalulu, and watched the beautiful mermaid Michelle’s form disperse into bubbles in the ocean under the silver light of the moon. Serena and Veronica stayed closer together than usual, taking comfort in each other and knowing the other half of their soul was always within arms reach. Erik was more isolated than usual, staying up in the crows nest or sitting precariously on one of the peaks of the roofs at the back of the ship while sharpening his knife in silence. He’d never been so unapproachable to Eleven. Jade subtly hovered around Eleven, wanting to reassure to herself that he was still there but not wanting to intrude upon him if he did not wish to speak. What time she didn’t spend with him, she spent with Rab, who probably couldn’t keep himself from thinking about the other true love match he once knew and loved himself quite dearly. Even Sylvando, who spent much of the time aboard the Salty Stallion when he wasn’t steering entertaining his friends and guests, could instead be found looking out across the water with a contemplative look on his face.

It gave Eleven a lot of time to think, about things other than their quest for once. While they often went about helping people, even if they weren’t directly suffering and instead just in need of a little kindness, there was always a lesson for him to be learned as the Luminary. And they were always successful. Perhaps Eleven had let it go to his head without realizing, but there was an attitude about him and his companions that because he had the blessing of Yggdrasil and is the Luminary, everything will always work out in the end. They certainly had enough proof of this happening, where they had survived and overcome impossible circumstances. And yet, even though they got the harp they needed to enter the mermaid kingdom, this sure didn’t feel like a victory to anyone.

Eleven thought people in Lonalulu, and how they reacted to the mere mention of mermaids. Kai himself was despised them, until he had met one and realized his prejudices were all wrong. It made Eleven feel so angry and so sad at the same time. There were hints around the town that the original Kai and his intended were not actually all that thrilled to be engaged to each other, at least on Kai’s part. He probably didn’t love her but was expected to marry her.  _ Wasn’t it a great privilege to marry the Kahuna’s daughter? _ Eleven could just imagine the villagers at the time saying.  _ They’d be so perfectly matched, why wouldn’t anyone want such a thing? _

It brought up thoughts that Eleven usually tried to avoid.  _ You two are always together, you better not let him go Gemma! You two complement each other so well. When’s the wedding? Eleven you better make an honest woman out of her!  _ Those statements had been happening more and more often as he and Gemma got older. Gemma would always blush and stammer, but she’d also always smile about it. She really did love him and want to marry him. He loved her too, but the thought of marrying her made him uncomfortable. No one would listen to him though when he tried to say anything about it. They thought he was just being shy, or perhaps obtuse. In the minds of those living in such a small village, who else could either of them possibly marry? There was no one remotely close to their age, they had grown up together and got along very well, and they were both beautiful so that couldn’t be the issue.

Learning the story of Michelle and Kai, he realized that he didn’t love Gemma like Kai loved Michelle. When he arrived at Cobblestone, and found everyone gone and the village destroyed, he went into shock. Later that night when he and Erik camped at the Emerald Coast, he cried. But he kept moving. Kai had been completely desolate when away from Michelle, to the point where the villagers thought him possessed. After a while, the thoughts of his family and the rest of the villagers began to fade from being ever present in his thoughts. Kai was said to have stared out at sea every day, probably thinking about his mermaid lover. Kai never forgot his mermaid love. Even years after they had parted, he had been able to create a painting that captured her likeness perfectly. Even down to her jewelry. Michelle waited 50 years in the Strand, alone and without any wavering of trust for Kai’s love for her. When she learnt of his possible death, she swam across the world to a place where she knew mermaids were not well liked. She would rather join her love in death than live her long life without him.

Eleven was sad that Gemma was gone, but he did not wish to join her in death. Some would say it’s because he’s the Luminary and has a duty he must fulfil, but it goes beyond that. Eleven feels closer to his companions now then he did to the people of Cobblestone. He’d be more upset if he lost any of them. Yggdrasil forbid it.

“Hey,” a voice behind him calls, softly. He turns to see Erik, finally having come down from his perch. “That stuff with Michelle and Kai was pretty rough. How you holding up?”

Eleven shrugged. As the Luminary, he should be ready to carry on with his world saving quest even after such an emotional upset.

Like always, Erik seemed to look right through him. “Just because you’re the Luminary doesn’t mean you’re not human too,” he said knowingly. “This has been the first time someone we tried to help died, even if it wasn’t our fault. It probably brought up some unpleasant memories.” 

Eleven could only stare, once again astounded at how easily Erik could read him. But as Eleven lowered his head in confirmation and to avoid his gaze, Erik had one more trick up his sleeve.

“Probably thinking a lot about that girl, Gemma, too.”

Eleven whipped his head back up, only to see that Erik couldn’t quite look him in the eye. He was looking away, an arm coming to the back of his head. Eleven could visibly see his discomfort as he stood there. The others had all asked him questions about his past, his friends and family, and Gemma’s name had come up quite a few times as one of the people he regularly interacted with. But for Erik to guess that she’d been on his mind after a romantic tragic ending…

“It’s not like that!” Eleven found himself blurting out. Erik slowly dropped his hand and brought his eyes back to Eleven. His blue eyes were guarded, always guarded, even when they softened slightly sometimes when it was just the two of them and when he smiled. 

“Hey, it’s cool,” Erik said, plastering on a smile. “I already said I wouldn’t pry. You’ve got your past, and it’s for you to share if you want. I just want to make sure you’re okay. If you want to talk, I’m here.”

Eleven took a deep breath. “Gemma… she… we…” Erik waited patiently, that small, sad smile never wavering as Eleven collected his thoughts. “Everyone always said how great we looked together. How we were perfect for each other… but I...” Eleven trailed off again, thinking about how Michelle smiled when she thought of Kai, and how devastated she had looked when she found Kai’s tombstone. 

Eleven took a deep breath and said what he’d been afraid to say out loud. “Everything with Michelle and Kai has made me realize that I don’t look at Gemma the way Michelle looked when she thought about Kai. I don’t love her like Michelle and Kai loved each other. I’ve probably never loved her that way, and I probably never will.”

Erik’s guard fell for just a second, showing a myriad of emotions that were gone almost too fast to notice. Eleven wasn't done yet. “My village wanted us to be together, like Lonalulu wanted the original Kai and the Kahuna’s daughter to be together. I didn’t protest because I didn’t want to upset anyone and it seemed like that was the only option.” Here Eleven ran out of steam. “Not that it matters while we’re on this quest. Gemma’s gone and I’ve got to stay focused on collecting the orbs and stopping the Dark One.”

“That’s not quite true, Honey.”

Both Eleven and Erik startled, not expecting Sylvando to suddenly appear next to them. With his usual flair, Sylvando thrust his arm out towards the ocean and struck a pose. “Everyone knows about the tragic love story of Serenica and the Luminary of old. There are so many plays and ballads about it I’ve simply lost count!” Sylvando brought his arm into his chest, cradling it close to his heart. “A love as powerful as theirs, as what Michelle and Kai shared, it can keep you going when you feel like giving up. When all is lost in the world, knowing that the your one love is there with you can make you stand up against anything! Why, even the Dark One himself fell against the combined might of Serenica and the Luminary and their love!”

“I’m not quite sure that’s exactly how it happened,” Erik said skeptically.

Eleven watched the two of them devolve into an argument once again. His mind wandered to the brief moment Erik’s guard had dropped. Perhaps it was a reflection of his own heart, but it looked that amongst the surprise and bewilderment, Eleven thought that Erik had also shown a brief moment of hope.

***

Finally, they had arrived at the glowing pillar of light. Erik had seen such pillars before, but usually steered well clear of them. The Vikings barely had respect for anything, but one of the things they did respect was the Sea, and its keepers. The pillars of light were creations of the mermaids, and they were treated with due reverence by giving them a wide berth. It was one of their only ideals he kept with him when he left. Now they were heading straight into one such pillar to willingly sink their ship to the bottom of the sea to speak with the queen of all mermaids. Erik had long since put his faith in the Luminary, but some things really pushed his beliefs at times.

Sylvando gestured for Dave to bring them close to the pillar of light. This close to so much power, there are no enemies in sight. The group gather around Eleven, who pulls out Lorelei’s harp.

“So we just have to play the harp and we’ll be on our way to see the mermaids!” Veronica says in excitement. She turns to Serena. “Well, what are you waiting for?”

Eleven hands the harp to Serena, who takes it gently. “Um,” Serena says quietly. “What should I play?”

Erik’s jaw drops to the floor. “Don’t you know?” He asks? Serena knows a multitude of holy hymns on her harps. She has to know the Mermaid’s Melody.

Serena shakes her head. “I was hoping that by holding the harp I would feel a connection with it and know what to play, but that isn’t the case. Perhaps if Eleven tries?”

She hands the harp back to Eleven, who holds it awkwardly. Clearly, he’s never held such an instrument in his life. He holds his hand awkwardly as if to strum, and everyone waits with bated breath to see if his hand might glow and start playing, but nothing happens.

“I guess we need to go find someone who knows the song,” Jade says, not even a bit of exasperation in her voice. Nothing really gets her down. She turns to Rab, “do you know anyone who might know the song?”

Rab strokes his mustache, “I’ll have to think about it. This auld man has met many people in his long life, so it’ll take a while.” He wanders off with Jade towards the front of the ship, muttering all the way.

Veronica whirls on Serena. “I can’t believe you let us get all the way here without knowing the song. If I knew that you didn’t know it, we could have gone to the archives or something rather than having to backtrack now.” She stomps off, and Serena trails after her with a number of apologies.

“Well then,” Sylvando says, fist to his heart. “I shall go inform Dave that we are missing a piece of the puzzle. Once Rab has an idea of where to go, we shall set off!” Sylvando then prances away in perfect sway with the rocking of the ship.

This just leaves Erik and Eleven, who is holding the harp with a slightly dejected look on his face. He puts so much pressure on himself, to be perfect, to be what everyone thinks the Luminary should be. He doesn’t realize that if he just acts like himself; kind, compassionate, selfless, brave, that’s all anyone needs. He’s not the Luminary because of a mark on his hand. It’s more than that. It’s because he’s Eleven that he’s the Luminary.

A Luminary who cannot move further on his quest because he doesn’t know the Mermaid’s Melody.

Erik let’s out a sigh. He had wondered why, out of all the thieves in Heliodor, the Seer had come to him. Sure he was one of the best, but who really wants someone like him on a quest to save the world? He’s good at all the shady things in life, it’s all he’s ever been good at. But he’s also one of the few humans alive who knows the Mermaid’s Melody. More importantly, he’s one of the few people who know how to play it.

Letting out a big sigh, Erik turns his head away and holds out his hand. “Here.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Erik sees Eleven look at him in confusion. Of course he doesn’t understand. Erik’s never shared any of his past with him, despite how open Eleven’s been about his own with the group.

“Lorelei’s harp,” Erik says. “Let me see it.”

Having no real reason not to, Eleven hands over the harp. Erik closes his eyes as he holds the harp, feeling how right it feels in his hands. It’s been years since he last held one, but how to hold it just so comes back to him like he’s never tried to forget. 

“Just..” Erik opens his eyes and looks at Eleven. “Don’t ask how I know this.”

One of his many duties while living with the Vikings had been to play while they were at sea, to ask permission from the mermaids to sail atop their waters. It was one of the only jobs he actually enjoyed, because none of the Vikings would bother him while he played, for fear if he messed up the song the mermaids would get angry. None of the Vikings had nimble enough fingers to play themselves, and so it always fell on Erik to play. There was too much wrapped up trying to explain any of that to Eleven.

Eleven still looks confused, but he nods.

Taking Eleven’s word for it, Erik begins to play. The Mermaid’s Melody has two versions. While his fingers are itching to play the full song, he instead just plays the condensed version. That should be all they need.

The notes fill the air, unnaturally loud. Everything around them seems to hold its breath while he plays the Mermaid’s Melody. Even the waves fall silent, allowing the song of the mermaids to fill the air and sea.

Almost as soon as he starts playing, it’s over. Erik opens his eyes, having not even realized that he’d closed them. Across from him, Eleven is staring at him in absolute shock. Erik holds the harp, not quite sure what to say to him.

“Erik, honey! You didn’t tell us you could play!”

Sylvando bounds over, followed by the rest of their companions. Rather, Eleven’s companions. Never has it been made more clear to him that they are all here for Eleven.

“What a beautiful melody!” Serena says with a smile, not angry or jealous at all. “Would you teach it to me?” She’d probably pick it up quickly, and then he wouldn’t need to play anymore. That would mean he’d get less attention and scrutiny Erik resolved to teach her as soon as possible.

“Erik!” Veronica says, cheeks red and hands on her hips. “If you knew the way to get down there, you should have said something! You made us all worry for nothing!”

If it hadn’t been necessary, he probably wouldn’t have told them at all. But because the Luminary needed it - because Eleven needed it - he would do whatever was needed.

Erik looks at Eleven, the only one who is not probing him for answers. There’s a bit of curiosity there, but mostly there’s just gratefulness. And some awe. Erik’s not used to anyone looking at him like that, and he feels the tips of his ears flush a bit. He wants to look away, but Eleven’s gaze holds him captive. Around them, their companions shout in surprise as a bubble of light surrounds them and the ship moves of its own accord to the center of the pillar of light.

A fleeting thought crosses his mind. If Eleven kept looking at him like that, maybe it wasn’t so bad to play the harp from time to time.

**Author's Note:**

> This was meant to be a light fluffy thing where everyone makes fun of Erik for being able to play the harp. Not sure what happened.


End file.
